What’s next for the Chicago Bears at wide receiver?

The 2022 NFL draft is over. And, for the most part, so is the undrafted free agent signing period. Veteran free agency is entering its third (or fourth) phase. So for a Chicago Bears team still searching for talent at wide receiver, the list of available names is shrinking.

That doesn’t mean the Bears have no options on the open market. And despite the narrative that suggests Chicago is devoid of any skill at wide receiver, a deeper look at the Bears’ depth chart reveals unproven but talented names. It’s a boom-or-bust group, which means some insurance is needed.

General Manager Ryan Poles should consider adding one of these unsigned veterans to minimize the risk of absolute failure.

Jarvis Landry

Landry is the most accomplished veteran wide receiver available in free agency who still has some gas left in the tank. Perhaps an argument could be made for Odell Beckham Jr., but he’s coming off a torn ACL suffered in the Super Bowl, and it’s unlikely he’ll want to join a team in Phase One of a rebuild.

Landry is a gritty intermediate target whose veteran savvy and route-running would serve as a great security blanket for quarterback Justin Fields. He’d complement wide receiver Darnell Mooney’s skill set and wouldn’t impede on whatever role the Bears envision for Byron Pringle or Velus Jones Jr.

Landry is coming off the worst season of his career in 2021, and at 29 years old, it’s unlikely he’s anything more than a 750-yard, five-touchdown guy. But production like that has value, especially for an offense in transition.

The biggest obstacle to signing Landry is his expected salary demands. According to Spotrac, Landry’s market value remains at or near $12 million per season. There’s no way Poles will pay that. The longer Landry remains unsigned, the better the Bears’ chances of adding him.

Will Fuller

Fuller was on the launching pad to stardom at one point in his career. But injuries (and a suspension in 2021) have limited his production. Fuller has never had a 1,000-yard receiving season, but he has the talent to easily eclipse that mark. He just has to stay on the field.

Fuller appeared in only two games for the Miami Dolphins in 2021. He broke his thumb in Week 4 and was stashed on injured reserve. He’s become something of a forgotten talent, and it’s why he remains unsigned.

Now, Fuller is at a career crossroads. He’s 28 and is searching for his third team. Sometimes, players facing a do-or-die year rise to the challenge. He’d be worth a flier on a cheap one-year deal.

If healthy, Fuller would offer the Bears a respected deep threat, who’s proven in games that he can wreck defenses.

Marquise Goodwin

Goodwin is the one familiar name that remains unsigned. He appeared in 14 games for the Bears in 2021, and while he wasn’t a game-changer by any point in the year, he did prove that he still has some juice. No, Goodwin wouldn’t join the Bears as a potential starter. But as a quality veteran who can provide a burst of speed when needed? Chicago could certainly do worse.

Adam Humphries

Humphries is an intriguing option who should gain some momentum as the summer months approach. He burst on the scene in 2018, when he finished the year with 816 yards and five touchdowns. His career year resulted in a healthy four-year, $36 million contract with the Tennessee Titans, but he was released after two seasons of sub-par production.

Humphries played the 2021 season with the Washington Commanders but struggled to find a consistent role. For the Bears, he’d be a quality slot receiver who’d join the current rotation of wideouts fighting for starter’s reps.